Newly-arrived Springbok Willie Le Roux will launch his Aviva Premiership career from the bench when Wasps travel to Sale on Sunday.

And fellow South African Ashley Johnson will again captain the side which retains most of the players from last weekend’s thrilling draw at Exeter which pushed them five points clear at the head of the table.

The big change is in the front row where Tommy Taylor and Matt Mullan, back from England duty, line up alongside Jake Cooper-Woolley with Simon McIntyre, Carlo Festuccia and Marty Moore among the replacements, Steve Diamond makes two changes to a Sharks side on a run of four consecutive victories following their dramatic finale against Newcastle last time out.

George Nott makes his first Premiership start alongside Bryn Evans in the second row while TJ Ioane switches from No.8t to flanker to accommodate Josh Beaumont’s return.

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Tactics board:

Having emerged from ordeal by driving lineout relatively unscathed in their draw at Exeter last week, Wasps face more of the same at the AJ Bell Stadium on Sunday.

The hosts base their game around a big pack, plus a pair of abrasive centres and six-foot, 15-stone scrum half Mike Phillips, all of whom prefer what might euphemistically be described as ‘the direct route.’

Steve Diamond’s side will also be revved up by a boss who appears (perhaps understandably) to have taken Wasps regular raids on his personnel to heart, and as a consequence is far from a fan.

All of this adds up to an occasion which is unlikely to suit the faint-hearted, and if Wasps are to end their seven-year losing sequence at Sale, they are sure to gather a few bruises along the way.

The inside track:

Steve Diamond (Sale director of rugby):

“Wasps are having a great season, and play attractive rugby. They are the best side in the country this season. They have a squad full of household names and if we give them enough ball, I think they’ll kill us with the speed and width they play at.

“We don’t want to do that. We want to play our own game. If we kick it into open space too much with their back three players, then we’ll be in trouble.

“They are the best Wasps side I’ve come up against. However. We’ve got a bit of momentum up, we were 15 points better than Newcastle Falcons at the weekend, and we attempted to collapse again, by attempting to play if I’m honest.

“We’ve got four home games coming up after this game and if we take each game at a time, we can beat anyone on our day.”